Flolan Infusion With Cad?

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Haven't been here in awhile but I've been busy. The sclero is affecting my large blood vessels now, and I've had three heart attacks and four stents since July of '05. I am wondering if anyone else is experiencing this and have you had flolan infusions with CAD? (Coronary Artery Disease) My Doctors and I are all scrambling to find out before winter sets in. ANy info would be appreciated!

Karen :unsure:

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I'm really glad you're still with us; with all those complications, it must be a near miracle.

I'm not a doctor, of course; in fact, I have no medical training at all, so I don't know the difference between coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure. The Flolan prescribing information from GlaxoSmithKline (the manufacturer) says:

"A large study evaluating the effect of FLOLAN on survival in NYHA Class III and IVpatients with congestive heart failure due to severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction was terminated after an interim analysis of 471 patients revealed a higher mortality in patients receiving FLOLAN plus conventional therapy than in those receiving conventional therapy alone. The chronic use of FLOLAN in patients with congestive heart failure due to severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction is therefore contraindicated."

Do you know if you have severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction?

You can call GlaxoSmithKline directly with any questions you have. Their customer response number (in the U.S.) is+1 888 825 5249.

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Thanks for the welcome and the thoughtful response. Thankfully I do not have congestive heart failure! Coronary Artery disease is simply a problem in the arteries surrounding the heart. My heart itself is wonderfully strong and healthy. No pumping or valve problems, nothing wrong internally. The arteries are blood vessels and as such are affected by scleroderma. They, like the little ones in our hands also are suseptible to fragility, and spasms. Plaque to a lesser extent and something called coronary calcium build up in the cardiac arteries of scleroderma patients. I have excellent cholesterol levels (158 with HDL being 98 of that), so the doctors think it is the spasms and the fact that the arteries are fragile anyway, that cause my arteries to break open on the inside and release plaque into the artery.

We sclero patients also tend to over-build scar tissue. So when I had a stent placed in May of this year, the scar build up and calcium was able to get a hold on it and re-block the stent in only four months. The doctor says it's some kind of a record...oh great, just the sort of record I want to be famous for! (note the sarcasm?) :P

Anyway, my cardiologist approved the flolan shortly after I posted my question and in fact was enthusiastic that it should help my coronary arteries to open up as well. It's a major league vasodialator.

Thanks again, isn't it amazing how in communities like this we become friends and care so much about each other? I remember back in the early to mid 90's, my daughter, then 14 was so into the internet and I just didn't get it. She'd talk about her 'friends' and I'd rant saying "you never even met these people"! But now I understand. I even met my husband online!